Ten companions, the Fellowship of the Ring!
by TwistedUtopia
Summary: We've all seen it before, what if the Fellowship had a female? I know this is a guilty pleasure of some. Meet Lilliana, an old Friend of Gandalf's who he invites to watch over Frodo in his quest. The story changes but only slightly with Lily in the mix.
1. Author's note and short beginning

Lord of the Rings fan fiction, first try.

Summary- Do not respond to this story unless you've read this.

Yes, this is a bit of a Mary Sue in that I'm sort of putting myself in the story, but by no means am I trying to pass myself off as perfect and she is not some moron who fell from the sky to land in Middle Earth. Rest assured, she is quite flawed. This will not do justice to Tolkein in any way, shape or form, so I thought I'd write a fair warning on that. Actually, this is more a fan fiction for the movies than the book, I haven't even read the whole series please don't yell at me but I did finish the first one, and this is only really of the first one.

Notes on Tolkein- entirely unnecessary to read.

There actually isn't much changed except I added some of my ideas to it to make it a bit more crowd pleasing. i.e. romance with the hottest member, some more adventurous things, much more character development and again, please don't yell at me. Tolkein was a genius, but he was more of a historian than a story teller. He wrote the Lord of the Rings almost like a text book and I found I didn't get to know any of the characters except superficial, physical things. For example, you know Frodo well enough, and you know Sam a bit I suppose, but you don't know Merry and Pippin at all, only that they are typical hobbits, same with Gimli, Legolas and even Aragorn isn't well developed. I definitely found the story lacking in that way. I would have been much happier getting to know the characters more than the races and landscapes of middle earth, but we all have different priorities when we read.

If you read all that, kudos and props and all that jazz is all I can say. Also, you will have a much better understanding of the story, and perhaps not be pissed off when you read it.

One last thing…haha funny story. I posted this a long time under the name Hand-me-down. The email I used for that account has since been raped by hotmail and now I have a nice, shiny NEW account 

Also…I wrote the first two chapters when I was 16, and now I am just about 19. I revised the first two of course (slightly…too lazy to change a whole lot that I don't really like about it) but I imagine the rest of the story will head in a different direction than I'd originally planned (since I have long forgotten the original plan) Oh yeah, and I have forgotten pretty much anything that I read in the book that wasn't in the movie. And I haven't exactly been frequenting the LOTR fanfics lately, I'm mostly stuck on the Supernatural (tv show) section. So I don't know how many of these are out there, I'm sure a lot. Sorry for the inevitable (but unintentional) idea-stealing that will likely be taking place. I promise I don't mean to. Oh right, her name was Elrohiel but someone pointed out that that is almost the same as a character in tolkein's books (I thought I made it up, I swear…) so I changed it to Lillianna. shrug

You have been warned now on with the story.

Chapter one

The ancient gray-blue cart rattled along the road behind the fat brown pony. It contained several lumpy sacks whose contents could not be seen but for the occasional glimpse of a bright colour. The ruts in the old road were uneven and rather bumpy and the man steering the cart found himself being a bit jarred as they made their slow journey through the woods.

"Only a bit further to go, Croknie." The pony whinnied in response and trudged along.

The day had grown late before they reached the top of a hill overlooking the small town of Dellring, one of the lesser known habitations of men in Middle Earth. Knowing he would find less than an open-armed welcome in this place, the old man, known in these parts as Gandalf, descended the hill towards one of the houses on the outskirts of the village. They rounded a corner at the bottom of the hill and Gandalf found himself looking on a familiar house. He stepped down from the cart and walked towards the front door. Before he had the chance to knock, the door opened and he was ushered inside by a teenaged boy, the door shut behind him.

"She'll be down in a minute," came a voice from the kitchen, "Will you be staying the night?" it spoke again. A slightly pudgy but motherly looking woman stepped into view at the end of the hall of the old creaky house.

"My horse needs a rest and I daresay I do as well," Gandalf replied. The woman nodded and rushed up the stairs to prepare an extra bed. At that moment, a young woman, probably early to mid twenties came into view.

She wasn't beautiful, or fair, but she had a grace and composure in how she carried herself. Her complexion was a bit ruddy from all the sun it had seen mixed with the fresh dirt from a day's work in the home that would currently have her. Perhaps her most striking feature was her eyes, piercing blue and clear. They contained wisdom, but more from experience than age. There was a long white scar along her cheek-bone. Her hair an orangey-brown colour, it was held off her face in a messy braid that reached a few inches below her shoulders. She was fairly small but not slight, strength was evident in her form.

She practically bounded down the stairs to throw her arms around the elderly man's neck. They both were laughing and greeting each other until the girl pulled away and looked concernedly into his eyes.

"It's wonderful to see you, but why have you come? Gandalf the Grey does not lay visits lightly, there is something wrong, I can tell," her voice was worried but level.

"And Lillianna does not accept the company of an old friend without suspicion!" Gandalf smiled a bit using Lillianna's own chosen name. His smile faded as his eyes drifted around the small but welcoming room in which they stood. He then looked down and sighed, shaking his head. Lillianna continued to study his demeanor. "I must call upon your aid again. I am terribly sorry child, I know you were hoping to have a rest, and you certainly deserve it, but I am afraid that I must insist. This is bigger than anything you have ever done. It may prove to be the most challenging thing of your entire life, also the most important."  
Lillianna took a moment to think as Gandalf watched her carefully. She had been living in this home for almost six months, they were her family, and she was hesitant to leave them. She needed time out of the world of elves and dwarves and war. Even the fast paced lives of most humans were too much for her. So much time had she spent at Gandalf's side, doing his bidding. Were it not for Gandalf she would probably have made her home in a town somewhere, but he taught her things she could never hope to know or do. She did so need a break, she was tired but Gandalf truly did need her; he would not lie or exaggerate on something like this. She looked up at him and smiled before speaking.

"You know I will help, I couldn't, in good conscience, refuse. Besides, it would only have been a matter of time before I began to crave adventure again," this was a lie, "And if what you speak is true, I suspect it shall take a very long time, be extremely dangerous and take more effort than ever before. Sounds like my kind of job. And after it is all over, when I find a home and finally have my rest, it shall be all the more rewarding."

"Then we shall leave at first light in the morning, I wish I could give you more time with these wonderful people to say goodbye, but I'm afraid time is of the essence…thank you, Lilly." He pretended not to see the tear forming in her eye.


	2. Hobbiton

Hello, here is the second revised chapter from my old story. In the first one I spelled her name Lillianna which annoyed me so now it is Lilliana. Next to come will be actually new stuff that I'm writing.

Chapter 2

She rode along behind the cart, listening to Gandalf sing. They had been riding all morning and the sun hung high in the sky. Lilliana could feel its weight as she thought about her last night with the closest she has ever felt to family in her life. The goodbyes were hard; riding away without looking back was harder. She now traveled light, carrying only her essential concealed weapons and a couple small tools. What few belongings she had gathered in the past six months were left behind. These items were a promise to those she stayed with that she would, someday, return; a promise Lilliana felt sure would be broken.

She knew they were getting close. The countryside grew more lush and inviting with every clip-clop of the horses' hooves. She looked forward to seeing Hobbiton again, it was such a lovely place, and everyone who lived there seemed so happy.   
Gandalf turned around and asked her now to keep out of sight.  
"But why? The last I knew, the hobbits were gentle folk who welcomed visitors," Lilliana replied, with a slight frown.  
"You are right of course, but I fear my own reputation here may not be as simply a visitor," Gandalf turned back to the road, "You go stay in the woods for a while, I will take Buttercup. I don't want the hobbits to know you are here just yet, and I certainly don't want them to think you came with me. We need them to trust you completely."  
With that Gandalf urged Croknie to go a bit faster and Lily hurriedly tied Buttercup off on the corner of the cart. She hopped off and stood in the road watching her friend continue on. After thinking a moment, she jogged through the woods to come up beside Gandalf.  
"Do you want me to keep to the outskirts? Just out of sight?"  
Without looking at her, he replied, "For now you should follow me, but once you no longer can, yes, keep to the outskirts so you can still see what is going on but no one can see you. If I do not come and get you earlier, come out tomorrow around mid afternoon and act as if you have just arrived for Bilbo's birthday. I will see you there if not sooner."  
Elrohiel nodded and retreated back a bit further into the wood.

Frodo shut his eyes and breathed in the fresh air. What a lovely day it was, birds in the trees, the sun glinting off their leaves as they shone with a healthy glow. The world was rich on this afternoon, with hues of green and yellow in every direction. He opened his eyes again and was about to look back to his book when he heard a familiar song floating along on the breeze being sung by an even more familiar voice.  
Leaping to his feet and grinning, Frodo hurried towards the voice. In his haste, he did not see the girl as she dove behind a tree just ahead of his coming.  
While Frodo reached the edge of the wood, by the road, Lilliana watched, perched on a branch above. Silently scolding herself, she vowed to be more careful; the hobbit had almost seen her. She could not quite hear them, but supposed it wasn't entirely important. They exchanged some words, laughed, then the hobbit jumped in the cart and they set out again. Lilliana followed along through the trees, going over what she and Gandalf had spoken of during their journey. So the ring of power could be in the shire. This was definitely new. Gandalf had said he wasn't sure, that he had some things to check, "Questions that need answering" to be precise. She finally realized how big this really was. She was actually quite frightened.  
Lilliana laid low for the rest of the day and observed the gentle hobbits. After a couple hours, of course, this became rather boring so she spent the rest of the day following around a squirrel. That night she fell asleep at the base of a tree. Well at home in the forest, she had no trouble sleeping late into the morning, especially in such peaceful woods. 

Over at Bag-end Gandalf and Bilbo were catching up, speaking of the many years that had passed since their last meeting. Meanwhile, the entire town turned out to help set up for the grand party later on that day. The party grounds looked absolutely fabulous, with a giant sign, a stage and even a bar set out. The cake had been baked and the band selected.

It was about this time that Gandalf and Bilbo had begun to discuss Bilbo's leaving. Gandalf expressed his concern for Frodo but it was quickly shot down by Bilbo who felt very strongly that Frodo would be okay.

Down at the party grounds, a stranger walked by. Everyone stopped what they were doing to look up at her.

"Hello everyone, I am a friend of Bilbo's, here for this party I've heard about," she smiled as she spoke.

"Then you are well met my friend!" came a chorus of little voices, "Come, tell us your name!"

This she had to think about for a moment. Which name should she give them? It probably wouldn't make a difference. "You may call me Lily."

"And how do you know the old boy?" said a voice near the back of the crowd laughingly. Opps, she hadn't thought of that. How did she know him? Barely.

"I met him a very long time ago, in a town of men he had ventured to. Laketown to be exact." The little round faces look apprehensively in her direction, but not with blatant distrust. She seemed friendly enough and they accepted her. She was sent off to Bilbo's house to say hello before she came to help get ready. Promising to see them in a few hours, she set off towards Bag-end.

Bilbo, according to Gandalf, was and odd little fellow, but odd in a good way. He would always surprise you, whether it was by getting a wonderful idea or doing something incredibly stupid. Now, apparently on his adventure with Gandalf, Bilbo had had mostly the good sort, but Lilliana only got the chance to see the stupid sort. After meeting him that day, she had decided Gandalf had described him perfectly, odd, yes, but also very nice, a pleasant person to be around. She was welcomed in his home as a friend of Gandalf and couldn't help but feel immensely comfortable. Frodo, Bilbo's much younger cousin, had shown up halfway through the visit to let Bilbo know that the party grounds were almost set up.

Frodo was what one could imagine a younger Bilbo being like. With sparkling eyes, eager to see things and learn, Frodo gave away his every emotion. There was just something so happy, delightful about him. Lily was put in mind of a tree on a beautiful sunny day, with its leaves turned up towards the sun and standing almost the taller because of it. She could tell Frodo was completely in his element, he was the Shire. They spoke of many things, Frodo mostly asking to know about men and elves and even dwarves. Bilbo had a few questions on dwarves as well, interested in his old friend Balin and all of the others. It was not long however, before they drew their conversation to a close and set off for the party grounds. 

The party was fabulous, decorated beautifully and illuminated by candles, happy faces and fireworks. And oh what fireworks they were! On the way there, staring at the back of Gandalf's cart all day Lilliana had attempted figuring out which firework would look like what, for that was what Gandalf's old cart had been weighed down by. She was horribly mistaken in their beauty, but had guessed many colours correctly. The music was fabulous. Lily found herself watching Frodo most of the night, him and his friend, or rather his gardener as she'd been introduced to him, Sam. What a pair they made, Frodo's face alight while he danced and spoke to his friends, genuine happiness in the way he carried himself, and Sam hunched over a bar nursing a mug of ale. She laughed to herself when Frodo sent Sam off to dance with a very pretty hobbit girl. Later on She found herself listening to a very good story, told by Bilbo to a few little hobbit children. But not long after that she found herself babysitting. Not the hobbit children, but a couple of older, probably adolescent by men's standards, troublemakers. They had set off a rather dangerous firework, it had taken form of a dragon, which swooped down on the hobbits and took off for the horizon where it exploded into a thousand glimmering, falling stars. Although it was beautiful at the end, its beginning has still caused a frenzy, and for that, young Merry and Pippin had been set in Lily's care. Deciding that washing dishes would be the best punishment, Gandalf left them to it with Lily to watch them.

"That was a good idea Merry, but next time perhaps we should think it through a little better," said the smaller and presumably younger one called Pippin. Before Merry could respond Elrohiel cut him off.

"I think perhaps next time you should talk yourselves out of it, whatever you plan to do."

"Who are you? I've never seen you before, where did you come from? What are you doing here? How do you know Gandalf and Bilbo?" It was indistinguishable which hobbit said what. So instead of responding to each one, Lilliana sufficed to respond to the ground between them both.

"Lily, I do not come by here often, I'm from far away near Mirkwood, a place called Laketown. Laketown is where I met Bilbo, and since I heard he was having a very important birthday party I though I'd come. I do not know Gandalf but for through Bilbo, I met Gandalf today." Lilliana smiled warmly at each in turn. This seemed convincing enough and they went back to washing dishes.

It was at this point the crowd of Hobbits began to call for a speech. This is when Bilbo did the stupid thing that was mentioned earlier. After a very lovely speech addressing each of the many families of hobbits attending, Bilbo got an odd look on his face and put his hand in his pocket. He withdrew something and spoke of the end and leaving and farewell. Bilbo then disappeared. The entire crowd gasped and no one knew what was happening. No one, save for Gandalf and Lily.

Deciding that Gandalf could handle it on his own, she stayed at the party to help Frodo. Poor Frodo, he had to try his best to get everyone out when he had no idea what had happened. Enlisting the aid of Merry and Pippin, both of whom were good friends with Frodo, cousins even, she and Frodo managed to get the party grounds cleared in about twenty minutes. Lilliana stayed behind as Frodo ran up to Bag End. There he would be met by Gandalf, who would explain, not well, or very much, but enough to satisfy the hobbit. Her heart bled for him as he ran off up the hill. She did, after all, know full well that Bilbo intended to leave; she'd spoken with Gandalf, however briefly, at the party. Gandalf suspected he'd have to go find some things out concerning the ring, he told Lily that she would be welcome to stay with Frodo while he was gone; the company would probably do him good. Though having said nothing more, Gandalf promised to explain in full detail upon his return.

Lilliana did stay with Frodo, trying her best to keep his spirits high. She learned he was an exceptional hobbit, he enjoyed humor and he was happy with himself. But now he had something in those striking eyes of his, they still sparkled, but they were somehow older, there was a sadness behind them now. Frodo had always seemed a bit more responsible that the other hobbits (more mature than even the adults) and his eyes had been the youngest, most childlike part of him, but now they were the least. It seemed this was the first sadness Frodo had really experienced. Lilliana envied him, even the way he was now. Oh to be a hobbit.

The days passed quickly, Lily felt connected to Frodo by some sort of bond; she grew to love him very dearly. Wishing there was something to be done for the emptiness in him all the while, she became a sort of big sister to him. She met Sam a good many times in the home of Bag-end as well, a fine hobbit he seemed, and very loyal to Frodo. Sam had an inquisitive naivety about him that was simply endearing.

Gandalf had spent a good many hours searching before he finally found what he'd been looking for. Reading the parchment, he found what he must do. Gathering his things immediately, Gandalf left and went back to Hobbiton at a swift pace.

The day Gandalf returned, three days after his departure, he found that a very close friendship had developed. Probably for the better, he thought to himself, it would make things easier. He explained to Lilliana what he had found, why he had left, and what it all meant. She was not surprised, and simply told him that it was as she had feared.

That night, Frodo returned from the Green Dragon inn in much higher spirits than when he left for it. "Lily?" he called on coming home to find his beautifully painted round green door ajar.

The fact that Bilbo had left Bag-end to him was simply absurd, but true. There were so many other worthy candidates, closer relatives and such. But Bilbo truly did love Frodo almost as he would a son. After receiving no response, Frodo became a little unnerved walking through his home in the darkness alone. It was actually the first time he'd really been alone in a few days, he'd gotten used to someone being there to smile at him when he got back from wherever he'd been. Suddenly from the shadows behind him a hand came and grabbed him by the shoulder. Jumping, Frodo turned to see Gandalf.

Lilliana wondered how Frodo would take the news. Her feet turned her back towards Bag-end as she strolled along in the moonlight. Figuring Gandalf would be about finished explaining, she decided it was time to go back.

Opening the door as quietly as possible, she crept in. What she saw was a very odd scene, Frodo was face down on the floor and Gandalf was standing over a large lump on the table. Upon getting closer she realized the lump had furry feet and a cloak. Sam. By now Frodo had gotten up and was smiling. Gandalf had an add look on his face.

It wasn't long before Lilliana, Frodo and Sam were standing on a slight, grassy path. Left with strict instructions, they watched Gandalf ride away. Lily looked down at the two small hobbits beside her and then back up to the quickly shrinking image of Gandalf. Taking a deep breath, she took the first step.


End file.
